Deeming that nuclear war is more imminent than at any point since the height of the Cold War, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has released an “epic” cover of Iron Maiden’s metal classic “2 Minutes to Midnight.”

“We’ve determined that in 2018, the planet is as dangerous as it has been since World War II, and world leaders are just not shredding enough,” read the bulletin’s statement. “We hope to set the example for all governments by recreating some of history’s crunchiest riffs.”

Featuring nuclear physicist Ben Mottelson on lead guitar and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Paul Berg on vocals, the scorching track is expected to set the heavy metal scene on fire.

“There’s nothing better to bring on the End Times than a searing guitar solo blasted through a wall of Marshalls,” said Mottelson. “The glamour, the fortune, the pain. That’s what science is all about.”

“2 Minutes to Midnight” is not the only track this band of PhDs has planned. North Korea’s growing nuclear program, and provocative actions by both North Korea and the United States, motivated the band to hit the studio and record what critics are calling “the greatest album in the history of theoretical physics.”

“We’ll also be releasing a live version of ‘Number of the Beast,'” said Berg. “But not until the actual apocalypse.”